How Do You Clean & Recondition Old Cast Iron Pans?
With proper care, a cast iron pan will serve in the kitchen for generations. The chief enemy of cast iron is rust. If rust develops on the surface of cast iron pans, you must clean and recondition them before using them again. While this may sound intimidating, the process is not difficult. Sand the rusty surfaces of the cast iron pan with the sandpaper. Continue sanding until you have removed as much of the rust as possible. Wash the cast iron pan in sudsy, warm water to assess how much rust remains. If a significant amount of rust remains, dry the cast iron pan with the paper towels and repeat Step 1. Wash the cast iron pan again in sudsy water after sanding a second time. Rub the surfaces of the cast iron pan with the steel wool to remove any remaining traces of rust. Wash the cast iron pan in sudsy water again, rinse it and dry it with paper towels. Pour a small circle of oil into the cast iron pan and use a paper towel to spread the oil over the entire inside surface of the pan. I
